"League of Legends" Classic is coming, but a new report claims that Riot Games will bring it to old fans and new players alike earlier than the expected release of this special game mode.
The release will deliver a massive throwback to the olden days of "League of Legends," the experience that made the 5v5 MOBA more popular and accessible to the world and also helped redefine the genre.
'League of Legends' Classic Is Releasing Earlier Than Expected
According to a report by Polygon, there is a massive development over at a recent gaming event which confirmed that Riot Games is planning to launch the much-awaited "League of Legends" Classic earlier than expected.
Riot revealed the release date during the MSI 2026 Finals, confirming that "League Classic" will launch alongside Patch 26.15 at 8 a.m. PT on July 29. The mode will live inside the existing Riot Client rather than requiring a separate installation, meaning players can jump in without managing a second game.
League's Executive Producer Paul Bellezza shared that the idea for "League Classic" came after years of community requests, eventually taking shape as a prototype during one of Riot's internal hackathon events.
Two showmatches, one for the EU LCS and one for the NA LCS, are scheduled in the days leading up to launch, giving players an early look at how the mode plays before it goes live worldwide.
S3 Greatest Hits, More 'Classic' Champions Coming
Rather than restoring a single exact patch, League Classic is built as a curated mix pulling from multiple points in the game's early history. Riot has described it as using Season 3 as its foundation while blending in elements from earlier and later versions up through Season 4.
At launch, the mode will include 60 champions, featuring the original 40 characters that launched with "League of Legends" in 2009 alongside a handful of newer additions.
Riot has confirmed that more champions will be added gradually after release rather than all at once, with names like Graves and Urgot mentioned as future additions still being worked on.
What to Expect From 'LoL Classic'
"League of Legends" Classic brings back several systems that longtime players may remember fondly, including the original rune and mastery pages, older item builds like Deathfire Grasp, and pre-rework champion kits for characters such as Sion and Skarner.
The mode also restores the classic Summoner's Rift map along with its own progression system, separate shop, and the return of Influence Points as an in-game currency. The approach mirrors what other studios have done with nostalgia-focused modes in recent years.
Similar to how "Fortnite OG" brought back earlier seasons of that game's map and mechanics or how "Overwatch Classic" let players revisit the shooter's original hero kits, "League Classic" is designed to recreate the feeling of early "LoL" that many players loved and played over the years.
Riot has said the mode will continue evolving based on community feedback once it launches, similar to how "Old School RuneScape" has been shaped by player input over the years.
